Temptation - Brenda Jackson [63]
That came as another surprise. “I am?”
“I’d like you to be. I want you to always be a part of my niece’s life, Sheila.”
Joy beamed up inside Sheila. “Yes, yes, I’d love to. I would be honored.”
“Good. I’ll let you know when the ceremony at the church will be held.”
“All right.”
“Now I better get her home.”
Sheila leaned up and kissed Sunnie on the cheek. The baby had taken to Brad as easily as she had taken to her and that was a good sign. “You better behave, my sunshine.” And before she could break down then and there, she turned and quickly walked away.
Sheila made it to the nearest ladies’ room and it was there that the tears she couldn’t hold back any longer came flooding through and she began crying in earnest. She cried for the baby she’d just given up and for the man she had lost. She was alone, but being alone was the story of her life, and it shouldn’t have to be this way. She wanted her own baby one day, just like Sunnie, but she knew that would never happen. She would never find a man to love her again. A man who’d want to give her his babies. She’d had such a man and now he probably didn’t want to see her again. He was right. She couldn’t take hold of the future because she refused to let go of the past.
She saw that now. Zeke was right. It was her problem. But he wasn’t here for her to tell that to. He had no reason to want to come back to her. She was a woman with issues and problems.
“Excuse me. I don’t want to intrude, but are you all right?”
Sheila turned at the sound of the feminine voice and looked at the woman with the long, wavy red hair and kind blue eyes. She was a stranger, but for some reason the woman’s question opened the floodgates even more and Sheila found herself crying out her pain, telling the woman about Sunnie, about the man she loved and had lost, and how she’d also lost the chance to ever have a child of her own.
The stranger gave her a shoulder to cry on and provided her with comfort when she needed it. “I understand how you feel. More than anything I’d love to have a child, but I can’t have one of my own,” the woman said, fighting back her own tears.
“My problem is physical,” she continued as a slow trickle of tears flowed down her cheeks. “Every time I think I’ve accepted the doctor’s prognosis, I discover I truly haven’t, so I know just how you feel. I want a child so badly and knowing I can’t ever have one is something I’ve yet to accept, although I know I must.”
Sheila began comforting the woman who just a moment ago had comforted her.
“By the way, I don’t think I’ve introduced myself. I’m Abigail Langley,” the woman said once she’d calmed down.
“I’m Sheila Hopkins.” She felt an affinity for the woman, a special bond. Although they had just met, she had a feeling this would be the start of an extraordinary friendship. She was convinced she and Abigail would be friends for life.
A short while later they managed to pull themselves together and with red eyes and swollen noses they walked out of the ladies’ room, making plans to get together for lunch one day soon.
The sun was shining bright when Sheila and Abigail stepped outside. Sheila glanced up into the sky. Although it was a little on the chilly side, it was a beautiful day in November. The sun was shining and it made her think of Sunnie. Thanksgiving would be next week and she had a feeling Brad would have a big feast to introduce the baby to his entire family.
Abigail nudged her in the side. “I think someone is waiting for you.”
Sheila glanced across the parking lot. It was Zeke. He was standing beside her car and holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand. At that moment she was so glad to see him. Her heart filled with so much love. He had come back to her, with her problems and all. He had come back.
As fast as her legs could carry her, she raced across the parking lot to him and he caught her in his arms and kissed her hard. And she knew at that moment he was also her sunshine and that her heart would always shine bright for him.
God, he’d missed her, Zeke thought as he continued to deepen the kiss.